Alcopa is putting a new management team in place to continue its development as a diversified family group

The Alcopa group announced today that it is changing the structure of its management team.

Friday, March 30, 2018 — This change will allow the group to continue to grow and to support the group's historic know-how in businesses related to the automotive industry. Damien Heymans will from now on resume the overseeing of Alcomotive’s activities. Axel Moorkens will, meanwhile, manage Bihr, Modis and AlcopaImmo.

The Alcopa group has been active in vehicle distribution since its creation. It currently imports and distributes the Hyundai, SsangYong, Suzuki and Isuzu car makes, as well as six brands of two-wheeled vehicles including Benelli, Sym, Peugeot and Suzuki, in several European markets (Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Portugal, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland and France).

Next to these activities, Alcopa initiated a successful diversification process in 2012 by investing in high-growth-potential companies in industries including parts and accessories for buses (CBM), for two-wheels (Bihr) and for boats (Orangemarine), car auctions and trading (Alcopa Auction and Imexso), and building materials distribution (Solar Screen and Thys). These activities have experienced sustained growth and are making a significant contribution to the group's good financial health.

Supported by its family shareholder base, Alcopa wishes to continue to work towards future growth, and is putting in place management structures which will enable to accelerate it. In order to do this, a pair of experienced managers, both members of the shareholder family, will from now on be carrying out the day-to-day management of the various activities of the group.

Practically speaking, Damien Heymans will from now on be overseeing Alcomotive as well as the activities he has been managing since 2012. Axel Moorkens will in the meantime resume the supervision of Bihr, Modis, AlcopaImmo and the relationship with the Bernard Group.

The Alcopa group will continue to be supported by a board of directors consisting both of family representatives and independent directors chosen for their expertise. This board, chaired by Axel Moorkens, will assist the group in the development of its various business lines.

Axel Moorkens and Damien Heymans state: "Building on strong family values of entrepreneurship, performance and respect which governed the creation of Alcopa and have ensured its success for 80 years, we are going to work in close partnership to enable the group to continue with its development. We are currently putting in place structures which will give the group the agility it needs to continue with its diversification and its growth in a constantly changing world. We are proud to be able to count on the quality and motivation of the group's 2000 staff to meet our ambitious objectives".

The current CEO, Benoit Ghiot, who since 2015 has played an important role in Alcopa's transformation, will, for his part, be leaving the group. "On behalf of all the shareholders and the board of directors, we would like to thank Benoit Ghiot for the excellent work that he has done at the head of Alcopa. Under his leadership, the group has undertaken a transformation which has made it more solid; thanks to him, Alcopa is in an excellent position to continue with its growth and overcome the challenges which will arise in the years to come".